The Phoenix Suns secured the No. 6 seed in the West with a 125-106 win over the Timberwolves, who lost their opportunity to earn the No. 1 seed and fell to No. 3. During their season-ending clash, Anthony Edwards and Bradley Beal caused a team-wide scuffle which saw both guards exchange heated words with each other.
Yea we about to get a 7 game series of THIS TALK YO SHT BEAL pic.twitter.com/x0wryWlCEx
— 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 ✰ (@Hatedzs) April 14, 2024
Other players on both teams also seemed to be getting into the arguing, as a tense game ended in Phoenix’s favor. This is the perfect preview of what should be one of the best first-round series of the season, as the Suns’ win tonight ensured they’d be the No. 6 seed while dropping the Timberwolves to the No. 3 seed.
Edwards ended the night with a disappointing 13 points while Beal was the architect of the Suns’ win with 36 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Timberwolves vs. Suns Is Too Close To Call
Out of all the first-round playoff matchups, the Suns vs. Wolves might be the hardest to accurately predict. This is primarily due to the major unknowns about the Wolves, like the exact level at which Karl-Anthony Towns will be playing. KAT has averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in his two games back from the injury.
These numbers are not indicative of the overall level he’s playing at, as he was conserving energy and trying to find his rhythm after his month-long absence. Given the question marks around KAT, he could ultimately be the x-factor for the Wolves come playoff time. He’s averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season, missing out on All-NBA contention after his injury.
The Suns have an offensive trio that may be too hard to consistently stop, even for a team like the Wolves. We’ve seen a tendency with at least one of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker dropping their production based on matchup or their form. Beal was passing up shots for his teammates recently though tonight he was the flamethrower.
The offensive optionality for the Suns makes them a nearly impossible cover that even the Wolves’ top defense in the NBA can hope to mitigate but not entirely stop. The Suns have been an average defensive team while the Wolves have struggled offensively, so Phoenix will pray that the slower playoff game grinds the Wolves’ offense to a halt and gives their trio an edge.
The Wolves are playoff-tested after being first-round exits in the last two seasons, so this isn’t unfamiliar ground for them. Bradley Beal hasn’t been in the playoffs since 2021 and has two appearances total since 2018, so a lot will ride on his consistent production as well. Durant and Booker were one of the greatest offensive duos in playoff history last season and will hope to build on that success.
Anthony Edwards will have to carry the Wolves offense as a guard for them to be competitive with the Suns, as Phoenix employs three players designed to break down even the best of defenses and score on them. If Minnesota can’t maintain their grimy defense while matching the Suns offensively, this could lead to a lower-seed upset.
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